1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for fabricating microelectronic fabrications. More particularly, the present invention relates to production control methods and systems for fabricating microelectronic fabrications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microelectronic fabrications are formed from microelectronic substrates over which are formed patterned microelectronic conductor layers which are separated by microelectronic dielectric layers.
Integral to the fabrication of microelectronic fabrications within microelectronic fabrication facilities is the implementation and use of production control methods and production control systems for controlling microelectronic fabrication production within microelectronic fabrication facilities. Production control methods and production control systems are desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication for controlling microelectronic fabrication production within microelectronic fabrication facilities insofar as microelectronic fabrication products are typically fabricated employing sufficiently large numbers of fabrication processes such that they may not generally be efficiently fabricated absent production control methods and production control systems.
While production control methods and production control systems are thus desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication and generally essential in the art of microelectronic fabrication, production control methods and production control systems are nonetheless not entirely without problems in the art of microelectronic fabrication. In that regard, it is often difficult in the art of microelectronic fabrication to provide production control methods and production control systems which in turn provide for enhanced flexibility when fabricating microelectronic fabrications within microelectronic fabrication facilities.
It is thus desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication to provide production control methods and production control systems which provide for enhanced flexibility when fabricating microelectronic fabrications within microelectronic fabrication facilities.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
Various production control methods and production control systems having desirable properties have been disclosed in the art of microelectronic fabrication.
Included among the production control methods and production control systems, but not limiting within the production control methods and systems, are production control methods and production control systems disclosed within: (1) Weng, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,612,886 (a production control method and a production control system which provide enhanced microelectronic fabrication facility efficiency by employing within the production control method and the production control system a dynamic dispatching algorithm which has incorporated therein a microelectronic substrate release algorithm); and (2) Chin et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,716 (a production control method and a production control system which provide a reduced cycle time within a microelectronic fabrication facility by employing within the production control method and the production control system a dynamic dispatching algorithm which is predicated upon a required turn rate within the microelectronic fabrication facility).
Desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication are additional production control methods and production control systems which provide for enhanced flexibility when fabricating microelectronic fabrication products within microelectronic fabrication facilities.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a production control method and a production control system for fabricating a microelectronic fabrication product within a microelectronic fabrication facility.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a production control method and a production control system in accord with the first object of the present invention, wherein there is provided enhanced flexibility when fabricating the microelectronic fabrication product within the microelectronic fabrication facility.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a production control method and a production control system in accord with the first object of the present invention and the second object of the present invention, wherein the production control method and the production control system are readily commercially implemented.
In accord with the objects of the present invention, there is provided by the present invention a production control method for fabricating a microelectronic fabrication product within a microelectronic fabrication facility and a production control system for fabricating the microelectronic fabrication product within the microelectronic fabrication facility.
To practice the production control method of the present invention, there is first provided a plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities. There is then received from a customer a microelectronic fabrication order for fabricating a microelectronic fabrication product which may be fabricated within each of the plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities. There is then developed for each of plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities a demand, allocation and output management plan for fulfilling the microelectronic fabrication order. There is then evaluated the plurality of demand, allocation and output management plans developed for the plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities. Finally, there is then assigned and entered the microelectronic fabrication order within at least one microelectronic fabrication facility within the plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities having a favorably evaluated demand, allocation and output management plan.
In particular within the production control method of the present invention, the microelectronic fabrication order for fabricating the microelectronic fabrication product is not assigned and entered prior to evaluating for each of the plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities the plurality of demand, allocation and output management plans for fulfilling the microelectronic fabrication order within each of the plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities.
The production control method of the present invention contemplates a production control system in accord with the production control method of the present invention.
The present invention provides a production control method for fabricating a microelectronic fabrication product within a microelectronic fabrication facility and a production control system for fabricating the microelectronic fabrication product within the microelectronic fabrication facility, wherein there is provided enhanced flexibility when fabricating the microelectronic fabrication product within the microelectronic fabrication facility.
The present invention realizes the foregoing object within the context of a plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities within which may be fabricated a microelectronic fabrication product to fulfill a microelectronic fabrication order by evaluating for each of the plurality of microelectronic fabrication facilities a demand, allocation and output management plan for fabricating the microelectronic fabrication product to fulfill the microelectronic fabrication order prior to assigning and entering the microelectronic fabrication order within at least one microelectronic fabrication facility having a favorably evaluated demand, allocation and output management plan.
The production control method of the present invention and the production control system of the present invention are readily commercially implemented.
The present invention involves production control requirements and production control systems as are otherwise generally conventional in the art of microelectronic fabrication, but employed within the context of specific methodologic process limitations to provide the production control method of the present invention and the production control system of the present invention.
Since it is thus at least in part specific methodologic process limitations which provide at least in part the present invention, rather than the existence of production control requirements and production control systems which provides the present invention, the production control method of the present invention and the production control system of the present invention are readily commercially implemented.